Dead Defend No Honour (Day 9 of LawLu Week 2023), an one piece fanfic

Day Nine
Prompt: Trust| Reunion
Chosen: Both

What is the true face of an enemy I had always wanted to know; Doflamingo was not my enemy, he was the murderer of my dear one, and I wanted to avenge him. Big Mom was an obstacle that we had to overcome, and Kaido, though I initiated the first cry for war, and it was won by him— a young man to whom I had insisted time and again that I would treat him as an enemy the next time our paths crossed.

I was wrong, the true face of the enemy was the desperation to live when everything you had built, done and achieved was lost—in the blink of an eye. Every plan we had created was thwarted and every hope pinned in our hearts for a better future was shattered. The face of the enemy was despair, and it was being wielded by a man called Blackbeard who was more desperate than me to win; he was a man willing to gamble it all and trample on us all— our goals were different but our destination the same, Laugh Tale!

And a weak man like me didn't get to choose the way I died.

I had been spoiled, the months prior to the fateful day I lost it all, I had been spoiled by the company of that man on whom I had bet my faith. All these thoughts came swirling, did I go lax? Did I grow soft, after all, there was no honour among pirates. I should've hated Marshall D Teach, but this is a ruthless world, and I was the weaker one!

But despite understanding all these, I couldn't accept it. What's a pirate crew without a ship? And what's a pirate crew without a captain? And what's a Pirate Captain without a crew? What was I without anyone?

My ship was gone, my crew injured and left behind, and my dreams trampled. Actions had consequences— playing with the order of things would cost us, I had known this. Yet this was the path I chose, and destiny awaited to take its toll— with a scythe in its hands.

Yet, I was alive. I should've died. This was honour-less and cowardly behaviour! How many more times would I play dice with other lives? How many more deaths did I have to carry on my shoulders? How long did I have to carry on?

Flevance, Minion and now Winner. Each time why was I protected? Why couldn't I protect them?

I was alive, and my crew was left behind in the hands of a man, I knew not how to defeat. I escaped! And I didn't give them the honour of dying by their side! Leaderless and injured and captive in the hands of someone who would not care for their dreams, I don't even know how to gather the will to continue.

When I woke up, I didn't know where I was, my legs didn't move, my arms felt dead, and my voice was gone. Bepo was holding me in his warm arms and trying his best to keep me from shivering, I was carrying a fever, was it three-days old or four days old? If not for him, I would be gone. I wanted to be gone. Even if I was gone— could I face the people whose lives I had pawned to make it to this age?

That man always used to joke about the magic of 26! That it was a crucial time period for a man to shed his past life of 25 years and begin a new! He wanted me to live, he wanted me to make it past 25! We are the same age now, 26, but he was forever 26, and I was still breathing and moving towards 27.

I made it this far because of her, him and the other one, one gentle soul and two idiots who didn't let me die. The hand of kindness had been gracious to me, I had cheated death thrice— at 10, at 13 and at 26. And accomplished nothing to show my respect for their actions.

This was the captain's burden, I had to live.

"Be—" I tried to call out to my best friend, "Po."

He was tired, how far did he swim? How far did we go? I had many questions. Neither of us had any life force left to speak or spare. Bepo was fluffy, and right now exhausted. Then I heard the little ring of the den-den-mushi.

Purupuru

The noise was coming from the folds of Bepo's jumpsuit. He was borderline conscious, he couldn't hear the ring. At least not now. I couldn't lift my finger. I waited for the ringing to die. It went on for a while and stopped. The call died, bringing back the silence.

Purupuru

And it was back! What an impatient person, why couldn't, you let me wallow in self-pity, why was even dying hard! Bepo didn't even register the ringing— which to be honest was a good sign, I didn't want him to suffer any more, that sulong he pulled at daytime, was miracle and worrisome. I tried to lift my finger in hopes of getting into the pocket, but my arm that was severed was paining, and my other arm had lost every motor skill. If my guess was right, I had broken bones all over my body.

The bloody ringing didn't stop.

Purupuru

Pain and irritation made me angry, as I tried to fill something, a little piece of something broken brushed under my fingers. Was it a stone or pebble I couldn't tell, but whatever power I had left I was going to utilize it to receive the call, it could be my crew, and worst-case scenario marine tapping my private line.

After a lot of struggle, I could concentrate.

Each "R—"

Purupuru

syllable "—O"

Purupuru

ached "—O"

Purupuru

my "—M"

Purupuru

body.

I could create a little blue sphere and swap it with whatever my fingers had touched.

Purupuru

The den-den mushi fell into my hurting palm. I had to move my fingers if I wanted to hear the person who was so impatiently calling me.

Purupuru

Then my thumb moved and I flicked the receiver. Who was it? Penguin? Sachi? Ikakau? Jean or the Marines? Or was it Marshall calling to negotiate? My life and body and my powers in exchange for my nineteen crew members, I would do it. The receiver rolled away and landed beside my palm with a thud.

GOTCHA

"TORAO!"

This was not the voice I was expecting to hear. I knew this tone, I knew this anger. When Doflamingo riddled me with amber-lead bullets, he cried out my name in the same anguish. How did he know? Why did he of all the people care? "TORAO! Bear, Spiky Head, Big Guy with Tattoo on his face, anyone answer me! Sanji, no one is answering!" Why was he calling me? Why him of all the people? We are enemies, since when did enemies care about others? "Are you alive? Torao, if you can't talk, tap on something!" Unfortunately, I was alive, Black-leg-ya! What reply would I give him? "For fuck's sake, answer me!" Strawhat-ya's impatience was driving me nuts!

"I am alive, and I want to die, you asshole!" I yelled my reply and immediately broke into a coughing frenzy!

"Luffy, don't bother him you idiot, he is clearly hurt!" The Navigator chided. So the entire crew of clowns had called for me. I wanted to know how did they found out, even at death's door, I wanted answers. I was pitiful. I can't recall how long Bepo had swum for me, but my clothes were dry, and we were hidden somewhere secure— for now. It could be half a day or a week.

"I saw your vivere card!" I wanted to ask, who gave it to him, but I knew, the culprit was right now keeping me warm. "Bear gave it to me." I had many questions and not enough energy.

"Straw—" I couldn't carry on, my eyes were flooded. "Hat-ya. My ship is gone." I had to admit my loss, and you Monkey D Luffy would again hear me cry.

"Who was it? Which Emperor?" His voice was turning angry. I knew him well enough to know how easily angry he got. "Was it Shanks?" Would that have angered you more, I couldn't stop wondering.

"It was Blackbeard."

"I'm coming to you!" Why were his words comforting me? Why the thought of him looking out for me always made me happy. Why do you always come looking for me? Do you like carrying me around on your shoulders while I am incapable of movement? Is this pity, or are you still trying to pay for my one decision to save your life? If he came to me, I would survive. Bepo and I could recover. We could be safe. We could recuperate.

But, if he came to save me now, the change we set in motion would be derailed. Only he can do the impossible, my defeat was not his burden.

I gritted my teeth, "No."

"Torao!"

"NO—" cough, cough, "You cannot!"

"You are alone, you are injured, and you lost your crew." Thanks for reminding me, I wanted to scream. All I had was my Bepo. "Torao— listen to me!" Did I have any other option? "I understand." Did you? Did you? How can you understand you, a miracle boy? My tears refused to stop, my heart was in pain, my body was aching, and my soul was shattered.

"You—" I suppressed my coughing. "Listen to me." Okay, words were harder. "You have a task. You have to move forward. My journey ends here. Let me die for the honour of my crew. I will offer myself for my crew's release and accept my fate, be it being sold as a slave, made a toy for pirates whom I have wronged or just dying to make someone immortal."

The silence from his end thickened. After a long pause, his voice crackled like thunderbolts, "You are so clever! How can somebody as clever as you be so stupid?"* My fate was indeed doomed, Monkey D Luffy was calling me stupid. I would've chopped him into pieces. But I had no will to let.

"I have nothing else to offer to Marshall. Why don't you understand, it's a captain's burden?" I was clearly whimpering. "It's the honourable path." Again, he didn't reply for a long time— I could hear his angry breathing mixing with my strained breathing.

"Everyone, leave, this is between Torao and me," so he was going to quarrel with a dying man. Stubborn piece of shit. "Listen to me, you Trafalgar Law! I will say this only once! DEAD DEFEND NO HONOUR! I am on my way, even if you have a grand idea of offering your head to that bastard, I won't let you!" A part of me was relieved and another part was angry!

"Why—" He could hear my desperation. I know he could. "I am not your friend. I was your rival! I can't even call myself that."

"Since when did saving someone need a reason? Then let me ask you, why did you save me two years back?" Should I tell him? Why should I burden him more? Why does he want to know that? "Was it pity?" I pitied him, but it was not pity that made come to you. "We were not even acquaintances, Torao! Why did you risk your entire ship to save me?" For two years I had not looked into the reason. "It was none of these, right? You did it because you wanted to! I will save you because I want to! People save people."

"Your recklessness," I tried to pull the receiver closer, "—reminded me of my little sister."

"And your suicidal tendencies remind me of my dead brother! I can't lose you."

But we were not the replacement for each other's lost siblings. What were we to each other? Constantly being pulled towards each other, why were we even talking? You won't let me die, you won't let me do things my way, who were you making decisions for my life?

"Why are you coming?"

"Because you are my partner, and if you move from your current spot, I will lock you up in my room." I wanted to reply, before that, Bepo ruffled up and opened his little eyes and immediately sat up. Then he pulled me into a hug and took the receiver that I was trying to hold.

"Bepo don't bother him." But my first-mate refused to listen to me as he shook his head.

"Strawhat, please, save my captain!"

When my eyes opened again, I knew where I was. For weeks, I had travelled on this ship, the familiarity was hurting me. I sat up and immediately a glass of water was shoved into my hands. Why was he here, sitting by my side, like dragging me here was not enough; he had taken the task of looking after me. I drank the water and held the glass as if my life depended on it. He looked tired, and his hat was not with him. I looked around, my best-friend was not here, either.

"You—" I tried to open my mouth, but even the insides of my cheeks were burning. "Where is—"

"He is safe." Hearing this broke down the confidence in my spine and I collapsed right into Strawhat's arms. He caught me. "..." Strawhat-ya had many things to tell me, but he was waiting to compose himself. He took my empty glass away and replaced it with his hands and took a deep breath. "Two years ago, I lost my ship, my crew, my brother! I know your pain. And two years ago, you saved me."

"I–"

Then he pulled my bandaged fingers to his lips, and kissed them, "I can't lose you. You have to live. You have to eat well, you have to cry, you have to recover, and you have to rebuild the crew. And get a new ship." Tears were rolling down my eyes. "But before all that, you have to live for yourself. You don't owe anyone your life, Torao." He kissed my fingers again. "You have to live! Can you do that for me?"

"I lost everything."

"I know."

"My crew has been injured and captured."

"I know."

"I have no ship."

"I know."

My throat was burning, "I am weak—" I pulled him further into me, and he hugged me back, I was clinging to him, "I lost my home and family for the third time, Strawhat-ya!" He didn't say anything, he just held me in his embrace, rubbing uneven circles on my stinging back and letting me wet his vest with my tears. I was the older one, I was the mature one, yet here I was seeking solace in the arms of a 19-year-old. My miracle boy.

"Torao, only living people can make a difference." Like I didn't know. "When we die, we are gone, you can't protect your crew if all you leave behind them is your broken bones with no hope. Death is a permanent solution to a very painful but temporary problem. If you die, your crew will be sad. If you die, I will be sad. I don't want to lose you. If not for anyone else. Live for me. Live to become the rival I love."

"Love?"

"You said we are not friends. We are not enemies no matter how much you insist. We are rivals for One Piece, but if I push everything aside. I have affection for Torao."

"I will sob for days."

"I can handle it."

"I will be angry at you."

"You should be, I dragged your ass back to this noisy place."

"I will be snappy."

"I am used to you."

"I will try to run away."

He kissed the top of my head, "I have your vivere card!"

I rubbed my eyes at his shirt, "I can't defeat Marshall on my own."

"Have I ever refused you when it comes to your choice of enemy?"

"NO!"

"Help me!" Strawhat-ya" I squeezed him. Then his arms stretched out of the door and pulled his strawhat inside and placed it on my head! Just like that the old yellow hat sat on my head.

"Trust me, partner!"

The End

Note:

This is a fic gift for Gigi on Ao3!

"You are so clever! How can somebody as clever as you be stupid?"*- From Good Omens TV